March 29, 2009

today, in a town i have grown to love more with every visit, there has been no sleep. all night under a canopy of purple and white flowers the devout have been walking. praying, singing and carrying the weight of their faith to arrive at the northern edge of san miguel de allende at dawn. to the sound of drums, clanging of church bells, a crash of fireworks and prayer they will be greeted by dawn and thousands of towns people. with the edge of night behind them and the promise of sunrise before them, a tradition of nearly 200 years has once more walked into the sunrise and marked the beginning of Semana Santa.

they began at midnight in Atotonilco. in a procession of thousands. they have removed a life sized statue of Christ from their sanctuary. the statue is very old and molded from traditional Chichimeca materials, corn stalks, corn starch and powered orchid bulbs. Christ leans on a column for support. He wears a loincloth and on his check is the kiss of Judas. the column represents the connection between heaven and earth.

this morning as my world yearned for hymns and fireworks, the sunrise glazed pink across the open ponds. a thousand birds sang out and the ancient pines sank knowing roots into solid earth as their tallest branches touched heaven.